Neighbours of the house at the centre of the incident have been stuck inside most of the day as police carried out their investigation.
One of them was Todd Madden. He said this morning he and his 6-year-old were walking to their car on the front lawn, headed for swimming lessons, when they saw a man "covered in blood" in a nearby driveway.
"[He] yelled at me to call the police."
"Police arrived ... and I grabbed the two kids."
The children told him there was a victim inside, "laying in a pool of blood".
Police are responding to a Pāpāmoa incident. Photo/ Andrew Warner "They had been crying loudly for about 30 minutes but I just thought they were being naughty - I wished I had of gone over earlier."
Madden said the family was new to the area.
"It's a lovely street we live on, the family has been here about three weeks, the kids play with our son and are very polite and friendly."
The Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter landed in the park on the corner of Harding Drive and The Boulevard about 9.45am, and left shortly after.
There was an ambulance in the area and firefighters had also arrived.
The area is part of the Golden Sands development. Most of the houses on the street are only a few years old.
Crime scene investigators were at the scene this afternoon. Photo/Andrew Warner Tauranga police said in a statement they have arrested a local man aged in his 20s and a scene investigation is still under way.
The area will be cordoned off for some time while inquiries are ongoing.
Police said no one else was injured in this altercation and no one else was sought in relation to the death.
"There is no risk to the public."
The man's next of kin had been told of the incident.
Police have blocked off one end of Harding Drive in Pāpāmoa East. Photo / Supplied Meanwhile, there have been no further developments or arrests in the police investigation into a home invasion in Pāpāmoa yesterday .
Two people were injured when a pair of masked men entered the Waterford Park Drive home about 4.30am armed with an axe and a crowbar.
Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier emphasised this morning that police had established the two male offenders were specifically targeting the address.
"For that reason, there is no need for members of the public to be alarmed following this incident."
